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https://nerdist.com/article/every-stranger-things-main-character-and-their-ending/
The time has come, the Walrus said, to talk of Stranger Things. And that’s because Stranger Things is officially over. With Stranger Things 5: The Finale now streaming on Netflix, the fate of every single main character has been decided. So, where did Stranger Things leave your favorites? Below, we break down every single Stranger Things main character and their final ending.
The Stranger Things Main Characters & Their Endings
Jump To:
Table of contents
- The Stranger Things Main Characters & Their Endings
- Mike Wheeler Graduated From High School and Intends to Become a Writer in Stranger Things ‘ Ending
- Dustin Henderson Graduated From High School as Valedictorian and Is Heading to College
- Lucas Sinclair Graduated From High School, and He and Max Are Going to Live Happily Ever After
- Max Mayfield Is Healed Up and Skate Boarding Again in Her Stranger Things Ending
- Will Byers Has Graduated From High School and Is Heading for NYC
- Eleven Is Either Dead or On Her Own In a Place with Waterfalls in Her Stranger Things Ending
- Steve Harrington Is a High School Coach and Wants to Settle Down in Hawkins (And Yes, He’s Alive in His Stranger Things Ending)
- Robin Buckley Is at Smith College and Thriving
- Nancy Wheeler Dropped Out of Emerson and Is Working as a Journalist in Her Stranger Things Ending
- Jonathan Byers Is at NYU Film School and Making an Anti-Capitalist Movie
- Robin, Jonathan, Nancy, and Steve Promise to Meet Up Once a Month
- Hopper and Joyce Byers Are Getting Married and Moving to Montauk in Their Stranger Things Ending
- Erica Is Still Teasing Her Brother and Making Trouble
- Vecna Is Dead on Stranger Things
- Kali/Eight Is Dead on Stranger Things
- Murray and Mr. Clarke Are Hanging Out in Their Stranger Things Ending
- Holly Wheeler and Delightful Derek Are Picking Up the Dungeons & Dragons Mantle
- We Don’t Know Vickie’s Ending on Stranger Things
- Dr. Kay Is Still Alive on Stranger Things
- Barb Is Still Dead on Stranger Things
- Eddie Munson Is Still Dead on Stranger Things
- Stranger Things ‘ Ending Is Only the Beginning
- All The Stranger Things Characters’ Endings in List Form
Mike Wheeler Graduated From High School and Intends to Become a Writer in Stranger Things‘ Ending
Although he almost didn’t walk in his graduation, we learn that Mike Wheeler has graduated high school in Stranger Things‘ epilogue. In the ending scene of Stranger Things 5: The Finale, Mike offers us a flash forward to some of the characters’ futures. In his future, Mike Wheeler is a writer, he “keeps telling stories, stories inspired by his friends. One day, he hopes their tales of grand adventure will spread far and wide across the land, so all can know of his great bravery.”
Dustin Henderson Graduated From High School as Valedictorian and Is Heading to College
We love Dustin Henderson’s Stranger Things ending. In Stranger Things 5: The Finale, we see him graduate as Valedictorian. But though Dustin excelled in school, he didn’t just give a standard speech. Instead, he makes sure to honor one Eddie Munson at his graduation. Dustin creates just the right amount of chaos (chaotic good-style), reminding everyone that their differences are beautiful and shouldn’t separate them. He then rips his gown and shirt off to reveal a “Hellfire Lives” shirt, snatches his diploma, and gives Principal Higgins the bird, just as Eddie always swore he would. Our hearts are full.
In Mike’s vision of Dustin’s future, which we get during the ending scene of Stranger Things, Mike shares that Dustin will go off to study at a university (only a day’s drive away from Hawkins), and he’ll work hard and learn a lot. But he’ll always make time for adventures with Steve Harrington. And that’s a vision of the future we support.
Lucas Sinclair Graduated From High School, and He and Max Are Going to Live Happily Ever After
Lucas also graduated from high school in his Stranger Things ending! Hurrah! He and Max are still together and very much in love. We even see them kiss. And good for them. Mike Wheeler lets us know there’s more good things in store for the pair in their Stranger Things ending. He foresees that Lucas and Max will move to a small town, where they’ll find peace and ever-deepening love.
Max Mayfield Is Healed Up and Skate Boarding Again in Her Stranger Things Ending
Max and Lucas’ endings are very intertwined. But we feel it’s important to point out that Max is healed all the way from her Vecna injuries at the end of Stranger Things 5: The Finale. In her ending, Max is even skateboarding again. She is ALSO playing Dungeons & Dragons—Nerd!
Will Byers Has Graduated From High School and Is Heading for NYC
Will Byers, too, has made it out of high school. And, according to Mike, he’s heading for NYC in his Stranger Things ending. It’s implied he ends up in “The Village,” where he finds love, acceptance, and an epilogue boyfriend. Nice. His brother Jonathan is also in the city.
Eleven Is Either Dead or On Her Own In a Place with Waterfalls in Her Stranger Things Ending
We’re not sure what Eleven’s true ending is on Stranger Things 5. In one vision of the story, she died when the Upside Down blew up with her inside it. In another version, Kali helped her escape the military unnoticed, and she’s off on her own somewhere, lying low and feeling free.
Steve Harrington Is a High School Coach and Wants to Settle Down in Hawkins (And Yes, He’s Alive in His Stranger Things Ending)
Steve Harrington is alive in his ending on Stranger Things! Huzzah! Steve Harrington is now the baseball coach at Hawkins High, and, evidently, the Sex Education teacher. Good for him. We know he’ll take his children’s learnings of the miracle of life and how to avoid it very seriously. We also suspect he’ll make sure to always give the freaks and weirdos a hand. We learn that Steve wants to buy a house in Hawkins, a place he really seems to love.
Robin Buckley Is at Smith College and Thriving
Robin Buckley has headed to Smith College, a place she’ll no doubt be very happy. This all-women’s college has a VERY high rate of queer folks today, and we feel that was pretty likely back in the day as well. Plus, she’s in Massachusetts, just like Nancy… And that means the RoNance dream reamains real.
Nancy Wheeler Dropped Out of Emerson and Is Working as a Journalist in Her Stranger Things Ending
In a surprise twist on her Stranger Things ending, Nancy Wheeler dropped out of Emerson, her dream school. Instead, she got a job at The Herald. Ah, the good old days of journalism. Nancy says she was sick of school and just wanted to get out there and do the work. After all that Upside Down nonsense, we can see how that might be.
Jonathan Byers Is at NYU Film School and Making an Anti-Capitalist Movie
Jonathan Byers headed to New York City. He’s at NYU’s film school… a place where he truly belongs. He’s currently working on an anti-capitalist movie, The Consumer, about a woman who gets hungrier the more she eats. And we love that for him.
Robin, Jonathan, Nancy, and Steve Promise to Meet Up Once a Month
Our older kids have made a beautiful pact, though. Once a month, they’re going to get together at Robin’s Weird Uncle’s House in and just be together. Maybe they’ll film Jonathan’s movie.
Hopper and Joyce Byers Are Getting Married and Moving to Montauk in Their Stranger Things Ending
Hopper has chosen to live this time around after losing his daughter. He wastes no time in proposing to Joyce, who happily accepts. Hopper tells Joyce that they should leave Hawkins and that he has been offered a new job with better pay in Montauk. Montauk was originally the title of Stranger Things, so that’s a little Easter egg nod to the die-hards.
Erica Is Still Teasing Her Brother and Making Trouble
We don’t see too much of Erica’s Stranger Things ending, but we do see she’s still teasing Lucas mercilessly. She also remains close friends with Dustin, which we love, and helps him set up his graduation confetti canon for maximum chaotic good madness.
Vecna Is Dead on Stranger Things
Henry Creel/Vecna/One is dead on Stranger Things. Vecna’s ending came much earlier than most others in Stranger Things: The Finale. Eleven, Nancy, and the whole Party took down his Mind Flayer form. Eleven impaled him on a spire. And then Joyce chopped his head off with an axe. RIP Vecna.
Kali/Eight Is Dead on Stranger Things
Kali/Eight is also dead on Stranger Things. We weren’t sure about Kali/Eight’s return on Stranger Things 5, but now that her ending was so tragic, we feel sad about it. We wish Kali could have lived. Instead, Akers shot her in the Upside Down.
Murray and Mr. Clarke Are Hanging Out in Their Stranger Things Ending
You know people are shipping this. And good for those people. We don’t know too much about Murray and Mr. Clarke’s endings on Stranger Things, but we do know they sat together at the kids’ graduation. Hey, it’s never too late to go on a date.
Holly Wheeler and Delightful Derek Are Picking Up the Dungeons & Dragons Mantle
We loved getting to know Holly Wheeler and Delightful Derek on Stranger Things 5. And we love their ending even more. Holly, Derek, and a few more of their friends have created a Dungeons & Dragons party and intend to play their own campaign. Holly is the Dungeon Master!
We Don’t Know Vickie’s Ending on Stranger Things
Although Vickie helped out the Party on Stranger Things 5: The Finale, she vanishes into the sunset without an ending. We’re going to say she was barely a character to begin with, so we’re not that surprised.
Dr. Kay Is Still Alive on Stranger Things
Dr. Kay remains alive to menace another day. While she lost Eleven in Stranger Things 5‘s ending, we bet Dr. Kay hasn’t given up on figuring out a way to get back into The Abyss. Perhaps in a spinoff?
Barb Is Still Dead on Stranger Things
Alas, after ALL of that. Barb is still dead on Stranger Things.
Eddie Munson Is Still Dead on Stranger Things
The only thing that would have made Stranger Things 5: The Finale‘s ending perfect is Eddie Munson coming back to life. We all deserved that. But he remains dead. RIP.
Stranger Things‘ Ending Is Only the Beginning
Although the characters of Stranger Things have all found their endings, a story never has to close. We have all been on this adventure with Stranger Things, and our story continues.
All of Stranger Things is now streaming on Netflix.
All The Stranger Things‘ Character Endings In List Form
- The Stranger Things Main Characters & Their Endings
- Mike Wheeler Graduated From High School and Intends to Become a Writer in Stranger Things ‘ Ending
- Dustin Henderson Graduated From High School as Valedictorian and Is Heading to College
- Lucas Sinclair Graduated From High School, and He and Max Are Going to Live Happily Ever After
- Max Mayfield Is Healed Up and Skate Boarding Again in Her Stranger Things Ending
- Will Byers Has Graduated From High School and Is Heading for NYC
- Eleven Is Either Dead or On Her Own In a Place with Waterfalls in Her Stranger Things Ending
- Steve Harrington Is a High School Coach and Wants to Settle Down in Hawkins (And Yes, He’s Alive in His Stranger Things Ending)
- Robin Buckley Is at Smith College and Thriving
- Nancy Wheeler Dropped Out of Emerson and Is Working as a Journalist in Her Stranger Things Ending
- Jonathan Byers Is at NYU Film School and Making an Anti-Capitalist Movie
- Robin, Jonathan, Nancy, and Steve Promise to Meet Up Once a Month
- Hopper and Joyce Byers Are Getting Married and Moving to Montauk in Their Stranger Things Ending
- Erica Is Still Teasing Her Brother and Making Trouble
- Vecna Is Dead on Stranger Things
- Kali/Eight Is Dead on Stranger Things
- Murray and Mr. Clarke Are Hanging Out in Their Stranger Things Ending
- Holly Wheeler and Delightful Derek Are Picking Up the Dungeons & Dragons Mantle
- We Don’t Know Vickie’s Ending on Stranger Things
- Dr. Kay Is Still Alive on Stranger Things
- Barb Is Still Dead on Stranger Things
- Eddie Munson Is Still Dead on Stranger Things
- Stranger Things ‘ Ending Is Only the Beginning
- All The Stranger Things Characters’ Endings in List Form
All The Stranger Things Characters’ Endings in List Form
The post Every STRANGER THINGS Main Character and Their Ending appeared first on Nerdist.
The time has come, the Walrus said, to talk of Stranger Things. And that’s because Stranger Things is officially over. With Stranger Things 5: The Finale now streaming on Netflix, the fate of every single main character has been decided. So, where did Stranger Things leave your favorites? Below, we break down every single Stranger Things main character and their final ending.
The Stranger Things Main Characters & Their Endings
Jump To:
Table of contents
- The Stranger Things Main Characters & Their Endings
- Mike Wheeler Graduated From High School and Intends to Become a Writer in Stranger Things ‘ Ending
- Dustin Henderson Graduated From High School as Valedictorian and Is Heading to College
- Lucas Sinclair Graduated From High School, and He and Max Are Going to Live Happily Ever After
- Max Mayfield Is Healed Up and Skate Boarding Again in Her Stranger Things Ending
- Will Byers Has Graduated From High School and Is Heading for NYC
- Eleven Is Either Dead or On Her Own In a Place with Waterfalls in Her Stranger Things Ending
- Steve Harrington Is a High School Coach and Wants to Settle Down in Hawkins (And Yes, He’s Alive in His Stranger Things Ending)
- Robin Buckley Is at Smith College and Thriving
- Nancy Wheeler Dropped Out of Emerson and Is Working as a Journalist in Her Stranger Things Ending
- Jonathan Byers Is at NYU Film School and Making an Anti-Capitalist Movie
- Robin, Jonathan, Nancy, and Steve Promise to Meet Up Once a Month
- Hopper and Joyce Byers Are Getting Married and Moving to Montauk in Their Stranger Things Ending
- Erica Is Still Teasing Her Brother and Making Trouble
- Vecna Is Dead on Stranger Things
- Kali/Eight Is Dead on Stranger Things
- Murray and Mr. Clarke Are Hanging Out in Their Stranger Things Ending
- Holly Wheeler and Delightful Derek Are Picking Up the Dungeons & Dragons Mantle
- We Don’t Know Vickie’s Ending on Stranger Things
- Dr. Kay Is Still Alive on Stranger Things
- Barb Is Still Dead on Stranger Things
- Eddie Munson Is Still Dead on Stranger Things
- Stranger Things ‘ Ending Is Only the Beginning
- All The Stranger Things Characters’ Endings in List Form
Mike Wheeler Graduated From High School and Intends to Become a Writer in Stranger Things‘ Ending
Although he almost didn’t walk in his graduation, we learn that Mike Wheeler has graduated high school in Stranger Things‘ epilogue. In the ending scene of Stranger Things 5: The Finale, Mike offers us a flash forward to some of the characters’ futures. In his future, Mike Wheeler is a writer, he “keeps telling stories, stories inspired by his friends. One day, he hopes their tales of grand adventure will spread far and wide across the land, so all can know of his great bravery.”
Dustin Henderson Graduated From High School as Valedictorian and Is Heading to College
We love Dustin Henderson’s Stranger Things ending. In Stranger Things 5: The Finale, we see him graduate as Valedictorian. But though Dustin excelled in school, he didn’t just give a standard speech. Instead, he makes sure to honor one Eddie Munson at his graduation. Dustin creates just the right amount of chaos (chaotic good-style), reminding everyone that their differences are beautiful and shouldn’t separate them. He then rips his gown and shirt off to reveal a “Hellfire Lives” shirt, snatches his diploma, and gives Principal Higgins the bird, just as Eddie always swore he would. Our hearts are full.
In Mike’s vision of Dustin’s future, which we get during the ending scene of Stranger Things, Mike shares that Dustin will go off to study at a university (only a day’s drive away from Hawkins), and he’ll work hard and learn a lot. But he’ll always make time for adventures with Steve Harrington. And that’s a vision of the future we support.
Lucas Sinclair Graduated From High School, and He and Max Are Going to Live Happily Ever After
Lucas also graduated from high school in his Stranger Things ending! Hurrah! He and Max are still together and very much in love. We even see them kiss. And good for them. Mike Wheeler lets us know there’s more good things in store for the pair in their Stranger Things ending. He foresees that Lucas and Max will move to a small town, where they’ll find peace and ever-deepening love.
Max Mayfield Is Healed Up and Skate Boarding Again in Her Stranger Things Ending
Max and Lucas’ endings are very intertwined. But we feel it’s important to point out that Max is healed all the way from her Vecna injuries at the end of Stranger Things 5: The Finale. In her ending, Max is even skateboarding again. She is ALSO playing Dungeons & Dragons—Nerd!
Will Byers Has Graduated From High School and Is Heading for NYC
Will Byers, too, has made it out of high school. And, according to Mike, he’s heading for NYC in his Stranger Things ending. It’s implied he ends up in “The Village,” where he finds love, acceptance, and an epilogue boyfriend. Nice. His brother Jonathan is also in the city.
Eleven Is Either Dead or On Her Own In a Place with Waterfalls in Her Stranger Things Ending
We’re not sure what Eleven’s true ending is on Stranger Things 5. In one vision of the story, she died when the Upside Down blew up with her inside it. In another version, Kali helped her escape the military unnoticed, and she’s off on her own somewhere, lying low and feeling free.
Steve Harrington Is a High School Coach and Wants to Settle Down in Hawkins (And Yes, He’s Alive in His Stranger Things Ending)
Steve Harrington is alive in his ending on Stranger Things! Huzzah! Steve Harrington is now the baseball coach at Hawkins High, and, evidently, the Sex Education teacher. Good for him. We know he’ll take his children’s learnings of the miracle of life and how to avoid it very seriously. We also suspect he’ll make sure to always give the freaks and weirdos a hand. We learn that Steve wants to buy a house in Hawkins, a place he really seems to love.
Robin Buckley Is at Smith College and Thriving
Robin Buckley has headed to Smith College, a place she’ll no doubt be very happy. This all-women’s college has a VERY high rate of queer folks today, and we feel that was pretty likely back in the day as well. Plus, she’s in Massachusetts, just like Nancy… And that means the RoNance dream reamains real.
Nancy Wheeler Dropped Out of Emerson and Is Working as a Journalist in Her Stranger Things Ending
In a surprise twist on her Stranger Things ending, Nancy Wheeler dropped out of Emerson, her dream school. Instead, she got a job at The Herald. Ah, the good old days of journalism. Nancy says she was sick of school and just wanted to get out there and do the work. After all that Upside Down nonsense, we can see how that might be.
Jonathan Byers Is at NYU Film School and Making an Anti-Capitalist Movie
Jonathan Byers headed to New York City. He’s at NYU’s film school… a place where he truly belongs. He’s currently working on an anti-capitalist movie, The Consumer, about a woman who gets hungrier the more she eats. And we love that for him.
Robin, Jonathan, Nancy, and Steve Promise to Meet Up Once a Month
Our older kids have made a beautiful pact, though. Once a month, they’re going to get together at Robin’s Weird Uncle’s House in and just be together. Maybe they’ll film Jonathan’s movie.
Hopper and Joyce Byers Are Getting Married and Moving to Montauk in Their Stranger Things Ending
Hopper has chosen to live this time around after losing his daughter. He wastes no time in proposing to Joyce, who happily accepts. Hopper tells Joyce that they should leave Hawkins and that he has been offered a new job with better pay in Montauk. Montauk was originally the title of Stranger Things, so that’s a little Easter egg nod to the die-hards.
Erica Is Still Teasing Her Brother and Making Trouble
We don’t see too much of Erica’s Stranger Things ending, but we do see she’s still teasing Lucas mercilessly. She also remains close friends with Dustin, which we love, and helps him set up his graduation confetti canon for maximum chaotic good madness.
Vecna Is Dead on Stranger Things
Henry Creel/Vecna/One is dead on Stranger Things. Vecna’s ending came much earlier than most others in Stranger Things: The Finale. Eleven, Nancy, and the whole Party took down his Mind Flayer form. Eleven impaled him on a spire. And then Joyce chopped his head off with an axe. RIP Vecna.
Kali/Eight Is Dead on Stranger Things
Kali/Eight is also dead on Stranger Things. We weren’t sure about Kali/Eight’s return on Stranger Things 5, but now that her ending was so tragic, we feel sad about it. We wish Kali could have lived. Instead, Akers shot her in the Upside Down.
Murray and Mr. Clarke Are Hanging Out in Their Stranger Things Ending
You know people are shipping this. And good for those people. We don’t know too much about Murray and Mr. Clarke’s endings on Stranger Things, but we do know they sat together at the kids’ graduation. Hey, it’s never too late to go on a date.
Holly Wheeler and Delightful Derek Are Picking Up the Dungeons & Dragons Mantle
We loved getting to know Holly Wheeler and Delightful Derek on Stranger Things 5. And we love their ending even more. Holly, Derek, and a few more of their friends have created a Dungeons & Dragons party and intend to play their own campaign. Holly is the Dungeon Master!
We Don’t Know Vickie’s Ending on Stranger Things
Although Vickie helped out the Party on Stranger Things 5: The Finale, she vanishes into the sunset without an ending. We’re going to say she was barely a character to begin with, so we’re not that surprised.
Dr. Kay Is Still Alive on Stranger Things
Dr. Kay remains alive to menace another day. While she lost Eleven in Stranger Things 5‘s ending, we bet Dr. Kay hasn’t given up on figuring out a way to get back into The Abyss. Perhaps in a spinoff?
Barb Is Still Dead on Stranger Things
Alas, after ALL of that. Barb is still dead on Stranger Things.
Eddie Munson Is Still Dead on Stranger Things
The only thing that would have made Stranger Things 5: The Finale‘s ending perfect is Eddie Munson coming back to life. We all deserved that. But he remains dead. RIP.
Stranger Things‘ Ending Is Only the Beginning
Although the characters of Stranger Things have all found their endings, a story never has to close. We have all been on this adventure with Stranger Things, and our story continues.
All of Stranger Things is now streaming on Netflix.
All The Stranger Things‘ Character Endings In List Form
- The Stranger Things Main Characters & Their Endings
- Mike Wheeler Graduated From High School and Intends to Become a Writer in Stranger Things ‘ Ending
- Dustin Henderson Graduated From High School as Valedictorian and Is Heading to College
- Lucas Sinclair Graduated From High School, and He and Max Are Going to Live Happily Ever After
- Max Mayfield Is Healed Up and Skate Boarding Again in Her Stranger Things Ending
- Will Byers Has Graduated From High School and Is Heading for NYC
- Eleven Is Either Dead or On Her Own In a Place with Waterfalls in Her Stranger Things Ending
- Steve Harrington Is a High School Coach and Wants to Settle Down in Hawkins (And Yes, He’s Alive in His Stranger Things Ending)
- Robin Buckley Is at Smith College and Thriving
- Nancy Wheeler Dropped Out of Emerson and Is Working as a Journalist in Her Stranger Things Ending
- Jonathan Byers Is at NYU Film School and Making an Anti-Capitalist Movie
- Robin, Jonathan, Nancy, and Steve Promise to Meet Up Once a Month
- Hopper and Joyce Byers Are Getting Married and Moving to Montauk in Their Stranger Things Ending
- Erica Is Still Teasing Her Brother and Making Trouble
- Vecna Is Dead on Stranger Things
- Kali/Eight Is Dead on Stranger Things
- Murray and Mr. Clarke Are Hanging Out in Their Stranger Things Ending
- Holly Wheeler and Delightful Derek Are Picking Up the Dungeons & Dragons Mantle
- We Don’t Know Vickie’s Ending on Stranger Things
- Dr. Kay Is Still Alive on Stranger Things
- Barb Is Still Dead on Stranger Things
- Eddie Munson Is Still Dead on Stranger Things
- Stranger Things ‘ Ending Is Only the Beginning
- All The Stranger Things Characters’ Endings in List Form
All The Stranger Things Characters’ Endings in List Form
The post Every STRANGER THINGS Main Character and Their Ending appeared first on Nerdist.
In 2025, Black women directors continue to redefine what cinematic storytelling looks like across genres. From prestige literary adaptations and globe-spanning action films to intimate dramas rooted in faith, love, and survival. This year’s slate is a reminder that Black women are not confined to one lane; they are shaping the industry from every angle, telling stories that are daring, emotionally resonant, and culturally expansive.
What makes this moment especially powerful is the range. These films move effortlessly between arthouse cinema and mainstream entertainment, between deeply personal narratives and high-stakes spectacle. Whether you’re looking for thought-provoking drama, romance, thrillers, or feel-good storytelling, these films deserve a spot on your watchlist.
This list includes theatrical releases, TV movies and films released on streaming networks.
Hedda
Directed by Nia DaCosta
Nia DaCosta delivers a bold reimagining of Henrik Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler, recontextualizing the classic play through a Black feminist lens. Set in 1950s England, Hedda stars Tessa Thompson as a newly married woman suffocating under societal expectations and her own unfulfilled desires. DaCosta transforms the familiar tragedy into a striking psychological drama about power, repression, and autonomy, proving once again that she thrives when interrogating complicated women at the center of chaos.
Where to watch: Prime Video
On Becoming a Guinea Fowl
Directed by Rungano Nyoni
Rungano Nyoni’s darkly comedic and unsettling drama explores grief, family, and buried truths within a middle-class Zambian household. When a shocking discovery forces relatives to confront long-suppressed secrets, Nyoni blends surreal humor with emotional weight. The film challenges traditional narratives about mourning and cultural obligation, offering a sharp critique wrapped in an unconventional cinematic style.
Where to watch: HBO MAX
Ruth & Boaz
Directed by Alanna Brown
A modern retelling of the Biblical story of Ruth, this faith-based romantic drama brings spirituality into a contemporary context. Ruth & Boaz follows a woman rebuilding her life after personal loss who unexpectedly finds love and purpose in unfamiliar territory. Directed with sincerity and warmth by Alanna Brown, the film balances romance with themes of redemption, resilience, and belief.
Where to watch: Netflix
The Man in My Basement
Directed by Nadia Latif
Nadia Latif steps firmly into psychological thriller territory with this tense, character-focused film. Charles Blakey lives in a home in Sag Harbor that has been in his family for eight generations. Anniston Bennet arrives at his door and asks to rent Charles’ basement for 65 days, for which Anniston will pay him $65,000.
Where to watch: Hulu
The Old Guard 2
Directed by Victoria Mahoney
Victoria Mahoney brings emotional depth and visual precision to this highly anticipated sequel. Expanding the universe of immortal warriors, The Old Guard 2 explores legacy, loyalty, and the cost of eternal life — all while delivering high-octane action. Mahoney’s direction cements her place as a filmmaker capable of handling blockbuster scale without sacrificing character.
Where to watch: Netflix
Both Eyes Open
Directed by Ariel Julia Hairston
A visually expressive coming-of-age drama, Both Eyes Open centers on self-discovery, healing, and emotional honesty. Hairston crafts a story that leans into vulnerability, encouraging its protagonist and audience to confront truth head-on. The film’s strength lies in its intimacy and thoughtful pacing.
Where to watch: YouTube Prime
Give Me Back My Daughter
Directed by Kelley Kali
Kelley Kali delivers a gripping, emotionally charged drama about motherhood and justice. The film follows a mother determined to reclaim what was taken from her, navigating grief, bureaucracy, and personal reckoning along the way. Kali’s direction emphasizes emotional realism, making the stakes feel deeply personal rather than abstract.
Where to watch: Lifetime
Not My Family: The Monique Smith Story
Directed by Tailiah Breon
Based on true events, this film chronicles one woman’s fight to reclaim her identity after enduring betrayal and displacement. Tailiah Breon approaches the story with care and emotional clarity, highlighting resilience in the face of systemic failure and fractured family structures.
Where to watch: Lifetime
Single Black Female 3: The Final Chapter
Directed by Keena Ferguson
The conclusion to the popular thriller franchise raises the stakes one last time. Keena Ferguson leans into suspense and psychological tension, delivering twists that reflect the franchise’s obsession with obsession itself. The final chapter offers a sharp, dramatic send-off that fans of the series will appreciate.
Where to watch: Sling
Terry McMillan Presents: His, Hers, and Ours
Directed by Patricia Cuffie-Jones
With Terry McMillan’s signature insight into love and relationships, this romantic drama explores modern intimacy through multiple perspectives. Patricia Cuffie-Jones directs with emotional nuance, allowing the interconnected stories to breathe while examining communication, compromise, and self-worth.
Where to watch: Prime Video
Operation: Aunties
Directed by Wendy Raquel Robinson
Part comedy, part celebration of Black womanhood, Operation: Aunties follows a group of women banding together to protect their community. Wendy Raquel Robinson brings humor, heart, and cultural specificity to the story, spotlighting the power of collective care and intergenerational wisdom.
Where to watch: YouTube Prime
Eric Jerome Dickey’s Friends and Lovers (Two-Part Event)
Directed by D’Angela Proctor
This adaptation of Eric Jerome Dickey’s beloved novel unfolds as a lush, two-part exploration of friendship, desire, and emotional entanglement. D’Angela Proctor honors the complexity of the source material, focusing on character relationships and the blurred lines between platonic and romantic love.
Where to watch: Prime Video
Love, Brooklyn
Directed by Rachael Abigail Holder
Tender, romantic, and deeply rooted in place, Love, Brooklyn is a character-driven story about connection and community amid a rapidly changing borough. Following three longtime Brooklyn residents navigating relationships and life transitions, the film captures the quiet emotional moments often lost in stories about gentrification. Holder’s debut is intimate and soulful, anchored by performances that feel lived-in and real.
Where to watch: YouTube Prime
The post 2025 Films Directed by Black Women You Should Check Out appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.
For more than four years, digital manga platform and publisher Azuki, from KiraKira Media Inc., has been offering manga fans easy access to officially licensed English-translated manga through their apps on iOS, Android, and the web, with a fan-favorite subscription model and hundreds of series.
Today, My favorite digital manga subscription service Azuki, home of my faves My Dear Detective: Mitsuko’s Case Files and newer fave Our Aimless Nights, is changing their name to Omoi. The catalog, user experience, payment model, and price are the same as always, albeit with a new name.
Omoi means “thought” or “feeling” in Japanese, and represents the thoughtfulness and care that the small, hard-working team at Omoi has put into both their manga releases and their app experience over the past four years. The new name comes with a new domain, logo, color scheme, and brand identity, which are rolling out across Omoi’s apps and marketing channels this week. The website will be available at omoi.com, and the Android and iOS apps will be available in their respective app stores under the name Omoi: Manga Reader.
“The name represents a new phase for us, as we greatly expand our catalog in 2026,” says Co-Founder and Licensing/Marketing Director Evan Minto. “It also reduces the brand confusion around our old name, which was in use by multiple companies in other industries.”
Currently Omoi is serializing new chapters of My Dear Detective: Mitsuko’s Case Files, Natsume & Natsume, and You’re So Sloppy, Hotta-sensei, in addition to the hundreds of series available in their apps.
The company also releases print editions of their titles including Hikaru in the Light, Mecha-Ude: Mechanical Arms, and the upcoming Crescent Moon Marching and Our Aimless Nights, through partnerships with Scholastic’s Graphix and Penguin Random House’s Ink Pop. ”We’ve got more planned very soon,” says Minto. ”Stay tuned for new licensing announcements!”
About Omoi and KiraKira Media Inc.
Omoi is a digital comics publisher and subscription app run by a small team of manga fans and tech experts at KiraKira Media Inc. in San Francisco, CA.
Omoi is available on the web at omoi.com and in the iOS App Store and Google Play Store. The app features over 550 manga series, with new chapters updated daily. Manga fans can start reading for free with advertisements today, or upgrade to Premium to unlock thousands of chapters for $4.99 a month. A 14-day free trial and discounted annual plan are also available, and additional volumes and chapters outside the subscription are available for purchase. Most titles are available worldwide (except Japan). Stay up to date on the latest announcements by following Omoi at instagram.com/readomoi, bsky.app/profile/omoi.com, and x.com/ReadOmoi
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The last revolutionary on Earth starring Leonardo DiCaprio, One Battle After Another is a cathartic fk the system journey we knew we needed to see but never would have expected it’d look like this. The entire film is a painful metaphor for the revolution and a sign of the times we wish were not true. The outcomes all too realistic, then coupled with stellar performances, you can’t deny the pulsating energy the film contains.
Every metaphor hits different, like a painful knife in the side, but one that gets cleaned, wrapped, and set to heal nicely. It is evidently clear that the architect of our revolution was born from the master plans of our oppressors.
Every beat is a stark and accurate portrayal of where we are in the world today and how fragile and fabricated the system is, and the real-world consequences that can and do unfold in unrest. On the real, One Battle After Another is a well-told story about a revolution that endures and how we need to stay ready so you don’t have to get ready. You walk away from the film virtually unscathed, but the scar lives on with a wild story to tell.
But nothing compares to the constant vibration of satisfying rage that is acknowledged by the depiction of America’s obsession with Black women, which is the winding road we follow throughout the whole film.
No spoilers for now- we’ll give a hoottie hoo when spoilers are about to be spilt.
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised
For gentle context, One Battle After Another follows the radical freedom group aptly titled “The French 75.” Named after the famous French 75mm gun, or “canon”, capable of firing 15 rounds a minute. The notorious ‘canon’ was used by the French to defeat the Germans in Paris in World War I. It is also commonly known as a strong ass gin cocktail. The gun itself was said to be a symbol of hope against world terror, making the name a perfect example of the film itself. Extremely irreverent and packing a punch.
The French 75 are freedom fighters equipped with communications intelligence, bomb and pyrotechnic specialists, strategists, and a…let’s say not ‘well oiled’ but heavy-hitting machine. Teyana Taylor’s character Perfidia Beverly Hills is a valiant member of this group and a descendant of a long line of revolutionaries. She’s also a bit of a loose cannon. She is unpredictable, strong-willed, and carries a burden in her eyes that feels all too familiar. From the beginning, she is paired with the arson or explosives expert of the operation, Bob Fergueson, Leo DiCaprio’s character. They are an unlikely couple, but you think in your head, yea – makes sense.
The group also has leaders like the one and only Avon Barksdale or Wood Harris playing strategist Laredo in the field. Actor and rapper Junglepussy graces the screen playing, I want to say…herself? We have our strong risk management professional Deandra, played by the real one, Regina Hall.
Every person plays their part and knows their role. There are clear lines to hold and a coded language that, when uttered properly, literally keeps people alive.
The best part is, it’s messy AF! It feels like at any minute the whole operation could fall apart, but you know it never will. The strings are flexible and seemingly haphazard, but its fabric is vibranium, and the fire is an endless blue flame that society loves to keep fanning.
This group is freeing captives from ICE detention centers, robbing banks, threatening governments, and following TF through. This revolution is what it looks like when fear has fueled you for so long and the world has finally made you choose violence.
The Revolution Will Not Give Your Mouth Sex Appeal
Of course the free-willed and stubbornness of Perfidia Beverly Hills is the catalyst to the next phase of prolonged battles. Aside from what we will call our protagonists of the story, our antagonist, aka ‘the system’ or ‘they’ or ‘the man’, is personified by Colonel Steven J Lockjaw – yes, that is a villain name for sure. Colonel Lockjaw is played expertly by powerhouse Sean Penn. As you watch him play a racist, Black loving/hating, proud boy, you can’t help but remember he literally played Harvey Milk. That aside, Colonel Lockjaw’s character is the embodiment of a society that takes all that it perceives power to be and makes it their sole purpose and inevitably their personality – insecurities in all. He is watching over and enforcing immigration, among many other things. But when he has a run-in with Perfidia, his eyes are opened.
The idea of the phrase ‘one battle after another’ lends itself to the sustained pace of the film. While many battles are going on at once, it truly feels like one long battle that links everyone together. Music plays a significant role in this regard. Seldom do you hear silence or come across moments of stillness. That isn’t to say the movie is cluttered or unfocused. Not at all. It’s ordered chaos, with the music sustaining you through each beat and obstacle to overcome.
The Revolution Will Not Be Brought to You by the Schaefer Award Theatre
The actor performances are the lungs of the film. Sitting glued to the screen, you could easily forget to breathe, but watching Leo, Benicio, Regina, and Chase Infiniti, who plays character Willa, gives you those moments to inhale. Whether it’s through necessary comic relief or the feeling of safety their presence conveys, it makes each battle in the film worth sustaining.
Leo DiCaprio goes all in as “The Dude” revolutionary Bob Ferguson. A joint between his lips and frustration in his brow, with an unwavering love for a daughter and dedication to a resistance he chooses to be chained to. Benicio Del Toro as Sensei Sergio St. Carlos reminds us what community really means. The risks we need to take to keep each other safe are just preparation for the life we deserve to live. He is calculated, calm, and literally reminds us all to breathe.
Even our villain, Colonel Lockjaw, played by Sean Penn gives purpose to the madness. His evil is a product of the very system he worships and will do anything to keep in line. He plays Lockjaw with a stoic, frantic insanity. He is fueled by the prospect of joining the Christmas Adventurers Club. A very obvious nod to the far-right Christian agenda to “Save Christmas” or put “Christ back in Christmas” as it’s often heard. When you first hear it in the film, you chuckle, but also wince with pain, because it’s just not far enough from the truth for you to full-belly laugh.
The setting is a tortured America. The one we are living in today yet somehow feels dystopian. Maybe it’s projection – we wish it were slightly different than our reality, but we’ve been in these streets, we know people affected by the very ideals those in power have carried out. This is Paul Thomas Anderson’s (PTA) specialty. The same Director who brought us Punch Drunk Love and Magnolia. It’s a realistic world that takes us even deeper into our own realities. It’s the what-if of speculative fiction. Gil Scott Heron’s Revolution Will Not Be Televised is cleverly the sacred text and code language of the resistance. The poetic hairs on my forearms stand up at this device and immediately want to adopt this, so we know who to trust at all times. Each mechanism in the film is a catered choice and greatly appreciated.
With all of that said, it’s only logical that the underlying tone is the obsession and mistreatment of Black women in America.
Now, if you really want to know how I feel – go watch the film and return to this section because…
I am spilling all the spoilers from here on out that can be spilt.
And No Pictures of Hairy-armed Women Liberationists
It is no secret that the abhorrent way the United States of America treats us Black women, past to present. I do mean that in the overgeneralized way. The Man, The System, The colonizers, the oppressors, whatever you want to call it, have historically used Black women to create and sustain themselves and given us no graces. One Battle After Another captures the raw essence of exhaustion, inherent responsibility, tortured existence, and generational trauma that a Black woman walks with on the daily. And on top of it all, the sick obsession and need to have power over and control a Black woman. With all of that, the film does provide a wealth of catharsis on the back end, leaving you feeling somehow less crazy and more seen. Don’t worry, I will explain.
It all begins with Teyana Taylor’s character, Perfidia Beverly Hills. She is boisterous, fighting to be unbothered, she is enraged freedom with a gun. In the first scene, she is tasked with securing Colonel Lockjaw himself to prevent him from interfering with their rescue mission. She proceeds to instruct him to get hard while holding a gun to his head. Her face dripping with a satisfying revenge and desire to literally fk the system. Having this kind of power excites her but does not rule her by any means. Lockjaw, on the other hand, the twinkle in his eye is absolutely ancestral. He is almost compelled to be aroused. His racist proclivity has birthed a fetishism he didn’t know could be real until he came face to face with it.
This is how America sees the Black woman. We’re loathed for the magnificence we possess. We remind oppressors of their misgivings. That the world was created on our backs, as laborers, breeders, caretakers, cooks, nannies, nurses, and eternal fighters. With all the strife, we still remain resilient and excel in science, art, beauty, finance, and so much more and continue to innovate. This is a hard pill to swallow for people who feel power is tied to the literal and metaphorical enslavement of another. Thus, the creation of an attraction to the innate power of a Black woman. The idea that we are strong in the face of [name anything here] makes a strange attraction to the ability that someone who uses forcible power does not possess.
The next time Perfidia encounters Lockjaw, they in fact do the deed. Perfidia, whose life partner is Leo DiCaprio, Bob Ferguson, a white man on the other side of the system. A “Gringo Zapata,” as Benicio’s character puts it. Some may see this as degrading to the Black woman, watching her be with only white men throughout the film. But this isn’t a rom-com where the only way someone will be invested is if the Black lead falls for the strapping blonde. This is an assertion of power. Perfidia has been trained in her blood to resist, to use her power to empower, and this is a perfect display of what a Black woman who feels freedom is hers for the taking can do.
And Women Will Not Care if Dick Finally Got Down with Jane
I particularly enjoy this for the evolution of Black women in film as well. We are constantly either holding up someone else by being the best friend, or explicitly there to show our struggle, or being exceptional as the talented 10th. Only recently have we been allowed to show some of the mess. Creators like Robin Thede, Issa Rae, Maya Rudolph, and Quinta Brunson have allowed us to be human and imperfect. When Perfidia finds herself pregnant, she is changed; her world becomes even more unbearable. The world has always been about something bigger than her, and a child makes that even more apparent. To boot, there is a chance this baby is literally the child of her oppressor, creating a vicious cycle that is a Black woman’s ancestral history.
When the mess is out there, she is caught acting out of order during a routine bank robbery. In captivity, she becomes a part of the villainy. When sh*it hits the fan, Perfidia names names, and the French 75 scatters as they have planned for situations such as this. The system attempts to confine her and use her, and she is too proud and free to let that ever happen. She’s now in the wind.
Fifteen years later. The literal progeny of the resistance and the system is being raised by the gringo zapata, who is what white guilt looks like when it does make a fair try. In a movie where the lead star is white, it is so Black though. For me – it truly felt like American Blackness was the main character. It wasn’t a period film, it wasn’t a crack open of oppression, it was a true story of what white America has made. Maybe it’s time for the gringo zapatas to do the work.
Because Black People Will Be in the Street Looking for a Brighter Day
Which brings me to Regina Hall and Chase Infiniti – our Deandra and Willa. Deandra is the walking sacrifice of Black women. She devotes her life to the resistance and is tasked with the safety and security of its most crucial members. The exhaustion in her face resonates inside my bones. The inherent responsibility she has over so many years, and the love and devotion she has to freedom means she is in this for life.
When Colonel comes looking for his ‘halfbreed’ as the Christmas Adventurers put it, Deandra is activated. She has to intercept Willa at a school dance and begin a series of actions to get her to a safe point. When they reach their destination, a remote convent, and cover for the additional members of the resistance. The head nun speaks about getting basically too old for this shit. Even she has a limit, but sees in Deandra’s eyes she’ll always have a little flame lit, ready to fight, no matter how spent she may be. This is the eternal flame a Black woman must always keep lit. We don’t have the ability to give up. Our blood is made of traces of kerosene and pulls energy from an ancestral place. It is painful and exhausting. These are the moments you feel most seen… and then breathe.
The Revolution Will Be Live
Willa is the greatest metaphor of them all. Born into a resistance without the guidance of her Black and maternal figure, raised by the well-meaning intentions and also a direct blood connection to the oppressor that maintains the system she is meant to fight. She has all of the skills, the tenacity, the intrinsic ability, but parts of her untethered. This makes her equal parts something new and old. Confronted with the truth about her mother and her father, she has to decide who she is going to be.
The feeling we as Black women have when we must exist in the past, present, and future at all times. We feel completely out of control, but know the power we hold – so concurrently, everything is possible. We have to decide who we want to be, how much mess we have to keep, and what composure to convey and when. There is a reason that America is obsessed. The belief that we are an anomaly, that what we do must be contained. Truth is, it is fking magical, it is a reverberating energy that we continue to evolve. Be obsessed – but also leave us TF alone.
One Battle After Another is now streaming on HBO Max.
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The post Review: One Battle After Another, What Black Women Call Life appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.